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Gene Drive Turns Mosquitoes Into Malaria Fighters (sciencemag.org)

Posted by samzenpus on from the judas-bug dept.

sciencehabit writes: The war against malaria has a new ally: a controversial technology for spreading genes throughout a population of animals. Researchers report today that they have harnessed a so-called gene drive to efficiently endow mosquitoes with genes that should make them immune to the malaria parasite—and unable to spread it. On its own, gene drive won't get rid of malaria, but if successfully applied in the wild the method could help wipe out the disease, at least in some corners of the world. The approach "can bring us to zero [cases]," says Nora Besansky, a geneticist at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, who specializes in malaria-carrying mosquitoes. "The mosquitoes do their own work [and] reach places we can't afford to go or get to."

6 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. What could possibly go wrong. by Black+Parrot · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I got dibs on the movie rights.

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  2. Not ready by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Given how little we understand about the complexity of existing gene interactions and how they actually work, this whole concept seems a tad risky and unpredictable.

  3. This would be hugely awesome... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    if it were in the hands of a caring, mature humanity. In the hands of a greedy pharma industry not so much...

  4. The new Dice.com RTFA by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The newest thing in Slashdot posts: don't even include an article. Nobody reads them anyway, so why bother? More professionalism from Dice.com staff.

    --
    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  5. Re:So how will cattle DNA react? by TapeCutter · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There are risks in everything, but it is a safe bet you would change your tune if it was your child facing malaria.

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    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  6. Healthier populations have fewer kids by PeterM+from+Berkeley · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And richer populations have fewer kids. If you're not living in an economically depressed malarial hellhole, you can afford birth control and set up a good economy.

    Believe it or not, public health and improving people's economic status decreases birth rates.

    Personally, I'd rather see worldwide populations limited by birth control and the naturally reduced birthrate that seems to ensue from better economic conditions than populations limited by war, famine, and pestilence.

    --PeterM